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“The enemy uses those things you are insecure about.Free yourself and take your power backby being secure in who you are - flaws and all.” ― Yvonne
Pierre, The
Day My Soul Cried: A Memoir Why do people play politics? Call them ‘mind-games’
or, as my dear friend, Kavita*, calls it in her frustration – ‘dirty games’. Let
me make public a private conversation we had, this morning. She had written to
me this…

“Hello sir… How to cope up with dirty politics
played in school? I just hate it. Some teachers are ready to do anything to mesmerize
the Management, and then play dirty games. Sir, I have done my M. Ed; but, I am working
with primary section only because I love being with the little-ones... A couple of years ago, I used to teach
Economics in XYZ college; but, I left it after a few months because I did not
enjoy teaching older group. I sincerely love my school a lot… but, only thing
is: I am bad in dealing with the dirty games played by some teachers. The Management
is making me feel th…

“The house of fame, he thought, is built on melting ice,
not steel...” ― Anya Seton, Katherine On my way back from bank, I met a couple who
have been living in New Zealand for more than two decades. I knew this couple
well when they were here in Mumbai. Today, the first comment I made to them
was: “You haven’t changed at all!” “I was about to say that to you,” said the
husband. “I agree,” added the wife. Not changed at all? In what respect? All of
us had put on a lot of weight… We all had grayed… and, yes, we all were not
looking as young and dashing as we did years ago… Then, why did we all think of
each other as ‘Not changed at all”? Probably, because: they had seen me, twenty
years ago, without a car or a wrist watch… And, today, they were seeing me without
a car or a wrist watch, too… They had seen me, then, visiting my bank, and they
were seeing it today, too… Perhaps, they were finding no change in my
vocabulary and outlook towards people and life… Perhaps, they were seeing me
firml…

Robin* is my dear
friend. I know he has only one wife!
But, early this morning, when I saw his message on my mobile, I wondered
if he had hidden his other wives from me and many of his friends! He had messaged to me: “Are there any Workshops planned for this month? One of my wife’s cousin
is looking for Workshops.” What Robin wanted to tell, I could easily understand: “A cousin of my wife is looking for Workshops.” He could have conveyed it
in other ways, too. Like: “My wife’s cousin is looking for Workshops,” or, “One
of the cousins of my wife is looking for Workshops.” Incidentally, there was another similar message in our Society WhatsApp
group. A lady had enquired: “Is anyone taking ABACUS classes in our society? Kindly inform me if you
know.” Another lady had replied: “Me
as well.” The first lady had reverted quickly: “What age kids you take ma’am?” The second lady’s response was understandably interesting: “Arre, I also need information
about ABACUS for my son!” Both these messages made…

“I laugh when I hear
that fish in the water is thirsty…I laugh when I hear
that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” -Kabir

I have
never been to Shirdi. But, I have, always, been awe-struck by Sai Baba’s life
and teachings. He and Kabir will, always, remain close to my heart… Last evening, along the
Eastern Express Highway, I saw hundreds of pilgrims… men and women, young and
old… dozens of volunteers, vehicles carrying food and beverages, medicines and
first-aid… saffron flags and silver palki…
some chanted… some laughed… some quietly walked… By foot, our driver told us,
it would take the padyatris about
eight days to reach the shrine at Shirdi… Many groups across the city organize
these pilgrimages, he told us. Faith is purely a
personal matter. Right from inside the car in which I was commuting, I remembered
Baba’s life… So utterly simple and uncomplicated it was… Nothing in possession,
yet, so rich it was… God of the mosque and
God of the temple were same for Him… He preached, tha…

Invariably, it
takes a bigger bully to tame a bully. When a whole nation, the political and
social class, media and even little children, all across the nation, join
together to condemn in one voice what Shiv Sena MP, Ravindra Gaikwad, did on
the Air India aircraft in New Delhi… yes, that’s enough to take the animal force
out of the arrogant MP… “I have a return ticket with Air India,” he had shouted,
“How can they refuse me to travel… I will create more hangama.” What happened to the ‘more hangama,
sir?” Six airlines of your own country – whose Law-maker you are – in an unprecedented
decree, decided to face you, the bully… by not allowing you to fly in their
aircrafts… So, what happened to your threat of creating ‘more hangama’? I was not at all shocked when I saw the way Gaikwad behaved or bragged
about the entire episode. As he clearly chest-thumped, with tons of self-pride –
“I am from Shiv Sena’…” Fair enough. It took all the airliners to come together and show the arrogant MP how
…

Doctors are not
Gods or Supermen. Just as teachers, judges, counselors and priests are not too.
If God gives life, He takes away life, too. No matter what you and I, including
doctors, do… Life doesn’t come with a guarantee. When time comes, you go… do
what you like. More than anything else, I am disturbed by the appalling reality of
treating doctors as villains. I have several friends and relatives who are
doctors… I have my own and my family’s doctors… So many times, a surgery of my
dearest and dearest one has been carried out by a stranger doctor who we haven’t
met during the rest of our life… I was a little boy when my dad was saved by a stranger doctor in my
village. Dad had ruined his liver by drinking the country liquor. That gave a
lease of about 15-17 more years for my dad to live. But, my dad did not stop
drinking like a fish (desi) and
smoking like a chimney (beedi)… One
morning, he died of a massive heart-attack. Nobody had checked the condition of
his liver or lungs. He d…

Ido not like party politics…
But, I do keep in touch with what is happening in and around our country as far as politics goes. I do not know about others, but, I speak for myself: I
started liking a particular political party or a particular political leader by
watching my dad. My initial political view was, therefore, shaped by my
immediate influence. But, as I grew older, I began to examine my mental
conditioning… how much of it was subjective and how much of it was objective.
So, slowly, I saw myself stepping back and watch things around me… holding back
my instinctive reactions… Stopped branding a particular political party as totally
corrupt or totally clean… ditto for a particular political leader… I became
more and more aware of the way I would be influenced by the media and its
endless debates… I could see how my own close friends were found taking their
extreme hardliner-stand… Even, today, I find my friends reacting strongly
without realizing the truth that so many of their …

God has placed talents in each one of us here…. One talent or the other.
If we do not agree with this, we have no business to strive for success… We
have no business to dream. To dream, to succeed, we must first of all
become strikingly aware of our talents. Well, if I have to speak for myself, I
must become aware of my God-given talent – teaching, writing and mentoring.
Yes, once I have become aware of my talent, I should believe in my capacity to
encash these talents… I must constantly strive to hone my talents into fine
skills… Success is always field-specific. In the
field of our expertise, we can always shine… provided we give our all… and pursue
it sincerely and passionately. I am
never tired of telling young-ones, to get in touch with their talents… believe
in their self-worth… and follow their dreams. Many weeks ago, my friend, Jaypee, had
shared with me this story of Michael Jordan… Michael Jordan was born in 1963, in the slums of Brooklyn, New York. He
had four siblings and hi…

“Working hard for
something we don’t care about is called stress;Working hard for something
we love is called passion.” - Simon Sinek Many parents have been
approaching me for our upcoming PD course. They want their little-ones and
young-ones to find motivation in life... work without being told, work hard and
work long and ,above all, enjoy what they are doing and succeed in it. When
you are hungry, you look for food… When you are thirsty, you look for water. Is
not motivation as simple as that? Are
you hungry? Are you thirsty? And, hungry and thirsty for what?

Idid not know what I wanted to do in my life till I landed in First Year B.Com,
that is, till I was 18. When I watched and deeply admired my own teacher, Prof.
B.S. Raman, and desired and dreamt of becoming a fine teacher like him,
motivation to achieve that dream came along… Nobody needed to tell me ‘Work hard and
work long’… Nobody needed to tell me how to find my passion… The burning desire
to become teacher like my role model…

'Passionate about Life.'... That's how I see myself. For me, the term 'passion' has a special meaning. It is living life with its totality... With all its hues and confusions, with all its triumphs and defeats.
I consider myself as a little kid, still groping in the dark -- trying to find a way out of this great maze. Sometimes, I wonder: whether there is a way out at all? Whether the maze itself is the way?
Thus, as a kid awe-struck by this amazing mystery called LIFE, I have a lot to share with my fellow kids. I believe, it would be an exciting and fulfilling journey, each morning...
I am, indeed, looking forward to each dawn, with fresh eyes... And my fresh note to share...
Love,
GERALD D'CUNHA